Chain-link.



A. N. EDEBURN.

CHAIN LINK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1915.

1,21 1 ,42 1 Patented J an. 9, 1917.

ZZZ/emanviewed" in the direction indicated by TA E 'AT T N OFFICE I A FRED N. EDEBUEN, E CLEvELAND, OHIO,"ASSIG1\TOR TO THE CLEVELAND GALVVAI-V j mzme WORKS, 0E CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHIO.

I CHAIN-LINK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED N. EDEBURN,

a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chain-Links, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

'My invention relates to links and blanks therefor for chains, said invention consisting specifically in an improvementin the construction shown, described and claimed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 955,129, issued April 19, 1910, to Irving A. Brown.

The object of the invention is to provide a link construction of' the above-named character which will be economical of manufacture and efficient in operation.

The said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described and particularly set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing :Figure 1 represents a plan of the primary blank forming part of my invention. Fig.2 represents a plan of the secondary blank forming part of invention. Fig. 8 represents a plan'of'a complete link embodying my invention. Fig. 4' represents a side, elevation of such link. Fig. 5 represents a plan of such link with parts broken away to show the interior construction thereof, the plane upon which the parts are broken being indicated by the lines VV in Fig. 41. Fig. 6" represents a section taken'upon-the'plane indicated by line 'VIVI' in F ig. 4 1

tie arrows. Fig. 7- represents a plan of a modified form ofprimary blank. Fig. 8 rep-resents a plan of the secondary blank in the modified form of construction. Fig. 9 represents a plan of a complete link embodying the modified form of my invention. Fig. 10 represents a side elevation of the link shown in Fig. 9. a section taken upon the plane indicated by line XI-XI in Fig. 10 and viewed'in' and Fig, 11 represents Specification of Iietterslatent. v i Patented Jan 9, 191% Application filed June 14, 1915." Serial No. 34,085

the direction indicatedby the arrows. Fig. 12 represents a section taken upon the plane indicated by line XIIXII in Fig. 10 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 13 represents a perspective view of two links connected with each other and embodying my invention. Fig. 14 represents a perspective view of two joined links constructed in accordance with the disclosure in. the above-named Letters Patent.

Ithas been found that when chain con sisting of links constructed in accordance with the above-named patent and illustrated by Fig. 14:, is subjected to a given amount of tension, the end portions or tend to bend outwardly, and when this tension is sufiicient, such outward bending actually takes place with a result that the extremities of the section of metal of which each linkis composed, project laterally from the link and form obstructions which frequently interfere with the proper functioning of the'chain. To overcome this objection, I modify the construction of the abovenamed'patented link in a manner which I shall now" describe. -In forming the link, I first take a straight bar'of metal 1, which may consist of wire or other. suitable material, and off-set its end portions 2, 2, so that they will extend in opposite directions with reference to the blanks' axis, as shown in Fig. 1. The blank inthis form I will designate as the primary blank. This primary blank is then bent so asto form two; loops3, 3, lying in substantially-the same' plane, the end-portions ofsaid bar or rodlying intermediately of the endsof; the loops, extending beyond each other and having their off-sets 2, 2, extending in,opposite directions with reference to the axis of-the 'structure'soformed, as shown in Fig} 2'. fThe structure so formed, I will designatef as the secondary blank. This blank is then bent so as to bring the two loops-3, 3,: adjacent to each other at one end of'th'e link and to causethe other end of the link to be formed into an eye of which the end portions 2., 2, of the section form a part, asjshown in Fig. 4. ,The form of the secondary blank is, however, such thatthe main part of such eye-forming end-portions lie upon opposite sides" of 'a' longitudinal :plane, perpendicular to the loops 3, but the extremitiesof said eye-forming-portions re-' spectively, lie upon sides of said plane opposite those upon which said main portions of said eye-forming portions lie. Furthermore these extremities are in a position in which they may be intersected by a line perpendicular to said longitudinal plane. As a result of this method of producing the link structure, when sufficient tension is applied to the link, and these end portions tend to move outwardly or laterally of the link, they will engage each other, as will be clearly understood from an inspection of Figs. 5 and 6, and such engagement will prevent such outward or lateral movement and therefore eliminate the possibility of the previously mentioned lateral projection from the eye of the loop before the actual rupture of the link occurs.

The above described construction provides for the formation of the link in such a manner that the engaging parts will be in contact with each other over a comparatively small surface. When it is desired to secure a greater amount of superficial contact than is so provided. I adopt the modified form of construction illustrated by Figs.'7 to 12 inclusive. In this modified structure I not only off-set the end portions 2, but extend such off-set'portions in the general direction of the blank by the provision of additional end portions 4:, 4:,as shown in Fig. 7, when I form the primary blank. In this event, the

secondary blank assumes the form shown in Fig. 8, and when this secondary blank is bent'to form the complete link, the end-portions 4, 41, will be in contact or tend tobe in contact with each other along the line 5,

shown in Figs. 9 and 11, when the link is in tension. This, as it will be observed, gives a larger superficial contact of these end-portions and thus insures to a greater degree, the engagement of these parts and the.prevention of the outward distortion heretofore described. V 7

lVhile I have above indicated that the ofi-sets are formedin the primary blank, it will be readily understood that where automatic machinery isemployed to form these links, it might be more expedient to formthe, off-sets after orduring the operation of forming the secondary blank. 'Such a deviation from the described process, will-not, as will be readily understood, depart from the principles of my invention.

Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 7 I 1. A primary chain link blank consisting of a section of wire or the like, having its end portions respectively off-set in opposite directions with reference to, the blanks axis,- the extremities of such end portions extend- Gopies of this patent ma be obtained for ing in the general direction of the main part of said blank. r V e r 2. A secondary chain link blank comprising a section of wire or the like bent to form two loops lying in substantially the same plane, the end portions of such sections extending laterally in opposite directions from an axis of the blank.

3. A secondary chain link blank comprising a section of wire or the like bent in opposite directions to form two symmetrical loops lying in substantially the same plane, the end portions of such section extending laterally of and in opposite directions from an axis of the blank, and over the outer portion of the loop of which the other end portion forms a part.

4. A chain link comprisinga section of wire bent to form two adjacent loops at one end of the link and bent to form an eye at the other end of such link of which the enclportions of said section form a part, the main part of such eye-forming end-portions lying upon opposite sides of a longitudinal plane perpendicular to said loops, and the extremities of said eye-forming portions respectively, lying upon sides of said plane opposite those upon which said main portions thereof lie.

5. A chain link comprising a section of wire bent to'forni two adjacent loops at one end of the link and bent to form aneye at the other end of such link of which the end- .portions of said section form a part, the main part of'suchveye-forming end-portions lying upon opposite sides of a longitudinal plane perpendicular to said loops, the extremities of said eye-forming portions re spectively, lying upon sides of said plane opposite those upon'which said main portions thereof lie; said extremities being both intersected by a line perpendicular to said longitudinal plane.

6. A chain link comprising a section of wire bent to'form adjacent twin loops at one end of said link, the ends of said section extending past each other and lying side by side, such ends being bent to form an eye at the other end of said link, and the portion of said section that connects such loops passing around the outside'of such ends and crossing from one side'of one loop to the opposite side of the other; the extremities of said section beingplaced so that they-will tend to en, z;ageeach other when the link is subjected to tension.

five cents eachQby addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,-D. 03'. 

